J9 Blog

Don't panic Grant....my new shoes are WHITE

If you have read the most recent comment posted from Sarah (the LOVELY sister-in-law) you will see that THE BROTHER took the photo of the MBT shoes very LITERALLY and thought it was a picutre of MY new shoes and then was concerned about me wearing 2 different colour shoes....

Hmmm. I am not that dippy (yet). Grant here is a picture of my new shoe- on my foot.  MBT shoe update- not yet fallen over, new blister on heel...just applied band-aid....evaluation continues....

Weekly Cat update #1

Haved decided he needs his own weekly update in a Bridget Jones diary style. His report from the last seven days follows.

Week ending Mon 24th April

Weight- 7 kg ish, winter coat has 'come in'. Would like more food.

Rodents killed in public- 2 : one LARGE rat, one very small mouse ; both presented to 'feeder/caretaker'- surely she realises this means I need MORE food. I am a hunting legend.

Health/Beauty- Got a wound (from cat fight? rat attack?) anyway must have got infected, abcess formed and has now burst. 'Feeder/caretaker' somewhat attentive though misguided. I DISLIKE dettol (antiseptic). She did not even attempt to give me anit-biotic tablets (lesson obviously learnt from previous attempts) . Have worked on 'I am wounded I need more food' campaign- limited success, will continue to persue.

Flea ointment applied to back of my head- NOT HAPPY- but would enjoy absence of any fleas so will endure.

I am still VERY beautiful.

Secret THE CAT business: classified- My recent wound may have alerted owner/caretaker that there is some secret business going on

Other business- Small cat that has moved in next door VERY annoying and DUMB- gave it a whack across the face but was swiftly removed from scene by 'owner/caretaker' Hmmmm. got bought a new Cat Nip bush for easter (from the mother of the 'feeder/caretaker' ...enjoying it ~ 40% eaten...

Zakarama update

Its been too long between Zakaramas.

Such a little boy now!

Walking on fit-balls....

I think I told the story once on the blog about falling off a fit-ball during some studio pilates work and interrupting/stopping a yoga class next door while they were meditating....well I have decided to REALLY challenge my clumsy self and have purchase some MBT trainer shoes (sometimes called Masai shoes- but designed and made in Switzerland).  These shoes have a curved bottom and are designed to mimic walking on a uneven surface (like beach sand)...so the principle is like using a  fit-ball when exercsing. Their (the MBT shoes)  cushioning and pivot system is meant to improve 'posture and gait' , and as you use more muscles to stay stable while wearing them, so there are claims about better muscle tone etc (we will see....). They are VERY expensive.  But, with some of my current neck issues (and so I need to strengthen muscles in my core, back etc) could be worth it for me.....

I am not expecting miracles. But, have worn them for a couple of days and they DEFINTELY use a different range of muscles! Have particularly noticed so far in calves  and quads....

Have not fallen over yet.....

BTW, my shoes are a more conservative/subtle white.....

What would you do if you had FIVE other lives.....

In a book I am reading on creativity (one of the area's I am exploring in my life this year) one of its activities was to quickly list what you would do if you had five other lives....it is not a practical list....ie lack of talent/training /money no barriers. Its an interesting question. I came up with

1. Tea shop owner- with a tea rooms and book section

2. Publisher/editor of glamourous and important books

3. Primary school teacher moonlighting in a girls or mixed gender version of the Wiggles

4. Science officer on the Starship enterprise- reporting to a Vulcan. (ok I realise this isn't prob what they meant....as this would require a different universe etc)

5.  Writer (not fussy...childrens books/chick lit/popular witty fiction...cook books....travel books)

6. OK the star trek one didn't really count...so also operator of a food/tea providore with a cooking school built in

Oh and when thinking about it- apart from the Star Trek world I would also like to live in Sesame Street/Mupppets world and also I would like to board with Wallace and Gromit.

What is the exercise meant to do?  Identify areas of creativity within you that the world may have supressed etc etc

Go on...give your 5 other lives a go....spend 5 minutes and see what you come up with!

THE brother is back in my blog world.....

There has been a j9blog breakthrough!! the brother  after ~ a 3 month absence is back in comments land!! Yay.....

He provided a very technical insight into what  a test pattern REALLY IS (see previous post)......I prefer to think of it as the default picture that comes on when transmission is down....in my case therefore something THE CAT related.

Welcome back Grant (and last week Sarah(his RATHER lovely wife) re-appeared too! )

Test pattern

I was wondering the other day...do younger people with all pervasive TV channels etc know what the old test pattern is....it still appears on SBS at obscure hours ....

Anyway, I digress.

If I had a test pattern to show when I am 'out of action' (in this case not regularly posting to the blog etc etc) then it would be THE CAT on a picture quickly sent from mobile phone- the easiest for me to quickly upload.

Here he is in fine form, once again giving decorating tips, on how to sculpturally work with 'girlie' cushions (he has to PUT UP with a lot....)